78. From Petri to Pillar: Culturing Entrepreneurship with Tony Kulesa

Episode Description:

Karl and Erum welcome Tony Kulesa, an engineer, investor, and entrepreneur in biotech. He’s sharing his insights on the future of biotechnology, discussing how advancements in reading and writing biology are driving significant changes in the field. Tony recounts his journey from academia to founding Petri, an incubator for biotech startups, and later integrating it into Pillar VC to support a global community of scientist-entrepreneurs. Tony emphasizes the importance of a supportive culture for transitioning academic research into practical, impactful solutions. The discussion covers the challenges and opportunities in biopharma, the potential of biotech in addressing global issues, and the growing interest in animal healthcare. Tony's perspectives are both inspiring and practical, providing valuable guidance for aspiring biotech entrepreneurs.

Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything from sustainable ingredients to high performing materials. Biology is the oldest technology. What are we growing?

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Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Unlocking the Power of Biology: A New Era
• 00:00:15 - Summer Vibes and Outdoor Adventures
• 00:02:19 - Biotech Events and Networking in the Summer
• 00:03:00 - Dissecting Biopharma Events and AI in Drug Discovery
• 00:05:11 - The Future of AI and Drug Discovery: Insights and Disappointments
• 00:09:17 - Investment Trends and Opportunities in Biopharma
• 00:15:51 - Building a Community: The Grow Everything Podcast Patreon
• 00:17:36 - Introducing Tony Kulesa: From Research to Venture Capital
• 00:23:00 - Tony Kulesa on Microbial Therapeutics and Drug Discovery Platforms
• 00:26:22 - Tony Kulesa's Journey from Research to Venture
• 00:32:39 - Entrepreneurship at MIT: A Cultural Shift
• 00:34:42 - COVID-19 and Its Effect on Global Startups
• 00:37:50 - Tony Kulesa on Scientist-Founders: The New Wave in Biotech
• 00:40:15 - The Role of Culture in Startup Success
• 00:42:45 - Insights on Team Building and Leadership in Biotech Startups
• 00:44:00 - Navigating Regulatory Pathways for Biotech Innovations
• 00:45:15 - Importance of Networking and Advisory Support in Biotech
• 00:46:40 - Exploring New Frontiers: Biotech Beyond Medicine
• 00:47:52 - The Potential of Animal Healthcare in Biotech
• 00:49:37 - Global Expansion and the Future of Biotech Entrepreneurship
• 00:50:55 - Addressing Global Challenges Through Biotech Innovations
• 00:57:03 - Reflections and Future Directions in Biotech Entrepreneurship

Episode Links:

• Tony Kulesa on LinkedIn (link)
• Pillar VC (link)
• Synbiobeta (link)
• Ayana Bio (link)
• Concerto Biosciences (link)
• Traitomic (link)
• OpenBiome (link)
• Amber Bio (link)
• Thymmune (link)

Topics Covered: biotech funding, biopharma, venture capital, biology, startup, entrepreneurship, synthetic biology, MIT, Harvard

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Music by: Nihilore

Production by: Amplafy Media